


A Lull in the Battle

by LightningNymph



Series: Dedue Week 2020 (Jan 5-11) [2]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Gen, Pre-Timeskip | Academy Phase (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), introspective, set during Chapter 2
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-06
Updated: 2020-01-06
Packaged: 2021-02-27 10:33:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 321
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22145695
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LightningNymph/pseuds/LightningNymph
Summary: Eventually, Sylvain cleared his throat. “It’s... not like anything I’d imagined.”“What is?”“The fighting,” Sylvain said, voice lower than before. “My hands are still shaking.”(Dedue Week, day 2: Battle)
Relationships: Sylvain Jose Gautier & Dedue Molinaro
Series: Dedue Week 2020 (Jan 5-11) [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1592905
Kudos: 25





	A Lull in the Battle

Pulling his axe out of the dead brigand’s side gave a squelching noise that echoed in Dedue’s ears longer than it rightfully should have.

Glancing around, most of the class had moved on already, only Sylvain near him still.

“Guess that’s that, then,” Sylvain commented with a half-smile when he made eye contact, though he still seemed quite pale. “Professor and the rest moved on to the left. We can catch up if we hurry.”

“Very well.” Dedue nodded, shifting his grip on his axe, falling into step beside him.

Sylvain seemed restless as they walked, something weighing on his mind. Dedue had seen enough of him during visits to Dimitri to tell as much.

Eventually, Sylvain cleared his throat. “It’s... not like anything I’d imagined.”

“What is?”

“The fighting,” Sylvain said, voice lower than before. “My hands are still shaking.”

Ah. That was what he wanted to speak of, then.

“I mean,” Sylvain continued when Dedue offered no answer, “it’s us versus them right now, and they’re sure as hell not going to let us go, but still.”

“Sylvain, if you want to say something, say it.”

Sylvain paused, looking at him with a look somewhere between calculating and uncertain. “...you don’t seem shaken at all,” he said then. “And I can’t tell if it’s just me or if I just can’t read you.”

It was easier when this wasn’t your first time, feeling the axe-blade hit living flesh and seeing the other person stare you in the eye. It never got easy, as such, but... well, it was better than the alternative. And for Dimitri, who pulled him out of the bloodshed and death the first time, he would swing his axe however many times necessary.

How was one to say that to someone, though?

“His Highness is waiting,” Dedue said instead, after a momenr. “We should hurry.”

“...fair enough,” Sylvain said, apparently letting the matter drop. “Let’s move.”

**Author's Note:**

> Not sure if this is really worth the "Depictions of violence" warning, but just in case.
> 
> Was watching a playthrough the other day and realized that of the Blue Lions, Dimitri and Dedue don't actually react that badly to their first kill compared to, say, Ashe. Took me a second before I went "...oh. Oh no". (No idea yet on why Annette is super psyched up about her first kill, though, lol.)  
> So between Dedue going "Still whole and sound, I hope..." and Sylvain being actually rather shaken and rationalizing it ("I had to do it. Don't hate me, please."), this came along.


End file.
